Self-rocking cradle



' NITED rSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUFUS D. KING, OF BOVVMAN, GEORGIA.

sELF-RooKlNe CRADLE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,174, datedSeptember 20, 1898. Application led December 16, 1897. Serial No.662,124. (No model.)

To aZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, RUBUS D. KING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bowman, in the county of Elbert and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Rocking Cradles;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescriptionv of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to self-rocking cradles; and the object is tosimplify the construction and provide an inexpensive motor which may beattached to any of 'the cradles now in use and by means of which thecradle may be rocked, thus relieving the mother or nurse of thatlaborious task.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of one endof a cradle, showing my improved motor attached, a portion of the casingof which is broken away to show the power-spring; and Fig. 2 is an endelevation.

In said drawings, l denotes the cradle, having the usual rocker 2.

3 denotes the motor-casing, which is attachedy to the end of the cradleand is provided with a spring-motor 4, adapted to be wound by a crank 5.The spring is geared with a drive-wheel 6 to rotate the same.

7 denotes the vertical posts of the casing and to which the arbor orshaft of the spring is attached. One of these posts has an eX- tension9, that projects downwardly below the bottom ofthe casing.

10 denotes a crank-shaft journaled in said post and having a pinion 11in mesh with the drive-gear. The outer* end of this shaft is providedwith a crank l2, having a crank-pin 1l, upon which is j ournaled agrooved rubber roller 13.

14 denotes a walkingbeam, the lower end of the vertical post l5 beingpivoted on a transverse stud projecting from the extension 9. The upperend of the post is provided with a vertical slot 16, that receives thegrooved roller of the crank-pin.

17 denotes spring feet or cushions secured to the outer free ends 18 ofthe walking-beam by means of the plugs 19, about which the springs arewound and to which they have their upper ends secured. Y These plugshave tenons 20, that project through vertical apertures in the outerends of the walking-beams.

2l denotes a brake-dog which is secured in the casing and which isadapted to stop the rotation of the drive-wheel, and hence the rockingof the cradle.

The spring being Wound up and the dog re leased from the gear it isevident that the crank-shaft will be rotated and that this motion Awillcause the walking-beam to be operated. As one end of the walking-beam islowered the spring at that end will be comi pressed, and as soon as thecrank is about to raise that end and rock down the other end of thewalking-beam it is evident that the spring foot or cushion that is undercompression will exert its energy and assist the mainspring of the motorin its effort to compress the other spring at the opposite end of thewalking-beam.

Although I have specifically described the construction andrelativearrangement of the several elements of myinvention, I do notdesire to be confined to the same, as such changes lor modifications maybe made as clearly fall within the scope of my inventionwithoutdeparting from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention, ywhat I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

I. The combination with a motor-casing, a spring-motor inclosedtherein,of a drive-shaft actuated by said motor and provided with a crank, a pinprojecting from said crank a pivoted walking-beam having a vertical postprovided with an elongated slot through which said pin projects, and bymeans of which the walking-beam is operated, said walking-beam beingprovided with spring-actuated feet, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a cradle, a 'motorcasing secured to the endthereofv and provided with a spring-motor, a crank-shaft rotated by saidmotor and provided with a pin, a walking-beam having a vertical post,the lower end of which is pivoted to an extension of the easing, and theupper end of which is In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my providedwith zt vertical slot through which signature in presence of twoWitnesses. projects the pin of the crank-shaft, plugs secured at theoutel1 ends of said Walkug-bea m, RUB Ub D KING' 5 springs coiled aroundthe plugs and attached Vtnesses:

thereto, a Wudiug-crzmk, and a brake, sub- E. W. BELL,

stfmtially :1s set forth. J. R. COSKEE.

